right to repair

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a law passed in the United States over 20 years ago, criminalizes the production of technology intended to circumvent DRM. While most people equate this with pirating movies, the law has also drastically affected the technology repair industry, as more and more manufacturers implement DRM designed to limit repair options. For example, recent Mac computers have a chip which makes certain repairs impossible without Apple-authorized software.

A busted phone usually leaves you with two options: an expensive and lengthy repair by the manufacturer or doing it yourself with potentially suspect parts. Motorola is getting together with iFixit to offer certified repair kits for some of its phones. You get OEM parts, tools, and instructions to get the job done.